Feb. 23, 2014
BOX SCORE: UNLV 6, Cal Poly 0 | Cal State Northridge 4, UNLV 2
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV softball team closed out its stay at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, Calif., Sunday with a 6-0 blanking of the Cal Poly Mustangs (7-9) before suffering a 4-2 setback to the Cal State Northridge Matadors (7-9). In all, the Rebels went 3-2 at the Classic to improve their overall mark to 5-9 on the year.
In their two games, the Scarlet & Gray's offense hit at a .321 clip and nine of the 10 players that recorded an at-bat had at least one hit. Jamie DePippo and Pauline Monreal led the squad with three hits apiece. The former notched a team-best .600 batting average (3-for-5) and added a run, while the latter hit .429 (3-for-7) with two doubles and two RBI. Five others had two hits apiece.
In the run-production categories, Tayler Van Acker led all with four RBI, while Stefany Valentino topped all with three runs.
The pitching staff combined for a 0.00 ERA with all four runs given up going down as unearned. Morgan Ettinger (3-1) picked up the team's first complete-game shutout in the 6-0 win over Cal Poly. Ettinger struck out four, but surrendered three hits. Amanda Oliveto (2-6) was handed the loss in the Cal State Northridge affair after giving up nine hits and three walks despite striking out eight.
Against Cal Poly, UNLV had a pair of three-run innings - third and sixth - to distance itself from the Mustangs. With the bases loaded following DePippo reaching on a hit-by-pitch and singles by Valentino and Emilie Valadez, Van Acker laced a two-run single up the middle. A couple batters later, Emily Haslinger drilled an RBI single to left to plate Van Acker.
After a scoreless fourth and fifth, the Rebels put together a two-out offensive to add three insurance scores. Samantha Juarez got things going with a single and a steal of second before Valentino was walked. Kwyn Cooper then hit a single through the left-side to bring in Juarez and move Valentino to third. Van Acker then followed with a double down the left-field line to knock in her third and fourth RBI of the game.
Ettinger held the Mustangs in-check, as she only allowed three base runners - all off singles. Only two of those three made it as far as second base.
CP's Chloe Wurst (3-6) was tagged with the loss in six innings of work. Wurst was touched for six runs off of 11 hits and one walk against three strikeouts.
Against Cal State Northridge, the Rebels struck first with a first-inning tally off an RBI double by Monreal. Valadez, who initially reached on a fielder's choice, came around to score from first base on Monreal's big hit.
The Matadors countered with three unanswered runs in the second. After getting two quick outs, Oliveto mishandled a comebacker that kept the inning alive. CSUN then got three straight hits (two singles and a double) to plate its runs.
The Rebels cut a run off of their deficit when Monreal smashed her second run-scoring double of the game in the third. Valentino led off with single before moving into scoring position off a passed ball three batters before Monreal's effort.
CSUN capped off the scoring when Carissa Sherman, a pinch-runner, stole second and then took two more bases when Haslinger's throw from home went into the outfield.
Briana Elder (6-3) picked up the win over UNLV in seven frames of work. Elder allowed both runs (one earned) off of seven hits. She struck out five against one walk.
The Rebels return to Las Vegas for their third and final home tournament of the year. The Eller Media Stadium Classic (Feb. 28-March 2) will feature six teams (UNLV, Binghamton, DePaul, New Mexico State, Seton Hall and Weber State). UNLV opens its action on Friday against DePaul (6:00 pm) and Binghamton (8:15 pm).
NOTES: Two Rebels moved up in UNLV's career record book ... Monreal is now 10th in slugging percentage (.509) and tied for 10th in doubles (32) ... Oliveto sits fourth in games started (98) and in a fourth-place tie in complete games (71) ... Oliveto became only the third Rebel hurler to surpass the 500 strikeout mark and has 512, thus far, in her career.
